Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein

Sale: Christie's, Mauerbach, 29 October 1996, lot 540
Purchased at the above sale

The canvas has been relined. There are some scattered spots of retouching visible under ultraviolet light, including in his forehead, to the right of his left cheek, in the upper-right corner, and a short stroke to the left of the signature in the painted canvas edge, though none are visible to the naked eye. There is a small spot of paint flaking above the 't' of 'gemalt', and hairline craquelure overall. Held in a coved varnish and black-painted frame with a gilt inner accent.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The spontaneity of this dashing portrait of Vogel von Vogelstein's contemporary, the Biedermeier artist Friedrich von Amerling (1803-87), sets it apart from the more measured style of his commissioned portraits (lot 4). As the inscription attests, it was painted in the space of just six hours on 16 August 1837.